Cutter means for clamping and cutting filament



Aug. 3, 1965 P. J. CHAUSSY ETAL 3,193,049

CUTTER MEANS FDR CLAMPING AND CUTTING FILAMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1963 INVENTORS FERN JOSEPH CHAUSSY ARCHIE HAHN, JR. RICHARD RICHHAH SHIMP CHARLES CARRICK WEBB AIR FLOW IN AIR AND CUT STAPLE FIBER FLOW OUT F l G.

Aug. 3, 1965 P. J. CHAUSSY ETAL 3,198,049

CUTTER MEANS FOR CLAMPING AND CUTTING FILAMENT Filed Feb. 28, 1965 FIG-2 AIR AND OUT STAPLE FIBER FLOW OUT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS PERN JOSEPH CHAUSSY ARCHIE HAHN, JR.

RICHARD RICHHAN SHIHP BY CHARLES CARRICK WEBB ATTORNEY 1965 P. J. CHAUSSY ETAL 3,198,049

CUTTER MEANS FOR CLAMPING AND CUTTING FILAMENT Filed Feb. 28, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTORS PERN JOSEPH CHAUSSY ARCHIE HAHN, JR. RICHARD RICHHAN SHIHP CHARLES C RRlCK WEBB g- 1965 P. J. cHAussY ETAL 3,198,049

CUTTER MEANS FOR CLAMPING AND CUTTING FILAMENT Filed Feb. 28, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS PERN JOSEPH CHAUSSY ARCHIE HAHN, JR. RICHARD RICHMAN SHINP BY CHARLES CARRICK WEBB United States Patent 3,198,649 CUTTER MEANS FQR CLAl'tiFihltG ANS CUTTING FELAMENT Pei-n Joseph Chaussy, Camden, 8.6., Archie Hahn, 31:, Wilmington, DeL, Richard Richman Shrimp, Camden, S.C., and Qharles Carrick Webb, Wilmington, Deb, assignors to E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Qornpany, Wilmington, Deh, a corporation of Deiaware Filed Feb. 2?, i963, Ser. No. 2611,8435 Claims. (Cl. 83-98) This invention relates to improved apparatus for cutting continuous filamentary material to produce staple fibers. More specifically, the invention involves an improved apparatus for maintaining a continuous high rate of production of dry staple fibers from a tow of dry continuous textile filaments.

Many types and forms of staple cutting equipment are known in the textile arts. While it seems clear that there is a continuing need for ever increasing the rates of production of staple fibers within the bounds of reasonable cost and effort, it has been established that merely increasing the speed of the cutting action while cutting a continuous tow into staple fibers does not always produce the desired results and actually causes serious problems. eyond oertain limits, increasing the cutting rate of a cutting element in engagement with a tow of continuous filaments will generate sufficient frictional heat so that the ends of the filaments or fibers in the vicinity of the cutting element will become fused together to form solid lumps or pieces. This is an unsatisfactory result which cannot be tolerated in the production of staple fibers. High cutting speeds also greatly accelerate the wear on the cutting elements involved. Some efforts have been made in the past to maintain high cutting speeds in staple cutter machines by supplying liquid to the tow being cut in order to carry away the heat generated by the high speed cutting action and keep the filaments cool enough to avoid fusing. However, this has not solved the problem of accelerated wear of the cutting elements and requires considerable ingenuity and eifort to handle the wet cut staple fibers and also large expenditure of power to dry them before further processing.

It is one object of this invention to provide an improved staple cutter apparatus which is capable of producing dry staple fibers at high production levels in a manner which avoids the problems and deficiencies of the prior art, especially the problems of accelerated cutting el ment wear and generation of excessive frictional heat during cutting.

It is another object of this invention to provide such an improved staple cutter apparatus in which the lengt of the cut staple fibers is accurately controlled and can be varied by simple adjustment of the apparatus.

Yet another object is the provision of an improved apparatus as discussed in the preceding two paragraphs which is also capable of producing in the same general operation a mixture of staple fibers having differing predetermined lengths.

An additional object is the provision of the improved apparatus as described above which possesses features and a mode of operation which make it not only reasonably simple and economical to fabricate, install, maintain, and repair, but also effective and reliable in operation.

Very generally, the improved apparatus of this invention achieves certain of the aforementioned objects by operating with a relatively slow cutting rate in each of a plurality of separate cutting actions along a tow occurring substantially during the same time period.

Somewhat more specifically, the objects of the invention are accomplished in an improved staple cutter apparatus which comprises a plurality of units for clamping and cutting a tow, a drive means operatively associated with said units to move said units rapidly sequentially along a given path from a first position through a second position, a guide means for guiding a tow into operative engagement with said units in said first position, an actuating means cooperating with each of said units to actuate said units along said path to relatively slowly progressively clamp and then cut the tow in a plurality of spaced positions along said tow as the units move along said path so that the tow is continuously moved into and through said first position by clamping engagement with said units and converted to cut staple fibers upon reaching said second position, and a dry fluid flow means cooperating with said units near said second position for collecting and conveying the cut staple fibers away from said second position.

in a preferred version of this apparatus, a means is provided, in cooperation with the units and their drive means, for controlling and individually adjusting in a predetermined manner the distance between the units moving along said path. This of course, controls the length of the cut staple fibers and can provide a mixture of several different lengths of the cut fibers.

Other objects and advantages will appear from a consideration of the specification and claims taken in conjuction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general external side elevational view of an improved staple cutter apparatus embodying features of this invention,

FIGURE 2 is a general top or plan view of the exterior of the staple cutter apparatus of FIGURE 1,

FEGURE 3 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 2 taken at line 33 of FIGURE 2,

FiGURE 4 is a partial perspective view from one side and looking into the apparatus of FIGURE 1 with part of the outer housing broken away in order to show position and cooperation of parts during the cutting action,

FZGURE 5 is an enlarged partial view looking upward at a number of the upper cutting elements and their mounting arrangement, the view taken as indicated at line 55 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged partial view looking downward at a number of the lower cutting elements and their mounting arrangement, the view taken as indicated at line 6-6 of FEGURE 3,

FiGURE 7 is an enlarged partial side view of a number of upper and lower cutting elements and their mounting arrangements showing the relationships between the upper and lower elements, the view being taken at line 7-7 of FIGURE 3, and 7 FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a guide plate element used in place of a cutter element when a cutter element is removed to vary the spacing between the cuts along a tow.

in the preferred embodiment of applicants invention shown in the drawings, the apparatus comprises a supporting frame structure which is made up of a base 1, a vertically disposed cylindrical member 2 in which is rigidly mounted a horizontal annular member 3. A composite annular cam member formed of pieces 8 and 81 is secured in position on member 3 by means of a plurality of bolts 83 as shown in FIGURE 3. The annular cam member is provided with a cam groove 9 extending around its outer periphery. Also mounted on member 3 by a plurality of bolts 48 is an annular support member 4 which supports in bearing, not shown, the rotary shaft 5. The upper end of shaft 5 is provided with a tapered portion 51 which is drivingly engaged with a composite rotor assembly formed of elements 10 and 10a by means of a spline or key element 52.

The apparatus is provided at its upper end with a housrotor assembly rotation.

3 a ing 11 which surrounds the rotor assembly and is provided with'an inlet conduit 12 located on the upper surface of the housing. An outlet conduit 13 is located at one side of housing 11. Several glass observation ports 18 are provided around the lateral periphery of the housing 11. This housing is further provided with a fixed ring element 491 forlifting the housing from its. position surrounding the rotor assembly and is provided with suitable means, such as illustrated at 70 in FIGURES, for securing the housing in position on the supporting frame structure. 1

Referring to FIGURE 3 it will be seen thatthe rotor assembly comprises a central portion which is engaged by tapered portion 51 of rotary drive shaft 5. The exterior of this central portion is defined by a surface 106 which flares outwardly from the axis of rotation to form lar portion of the rotor assembly. Each of the lower 7 blocks 203 is provided with a radially inwardly projecta lower annular portion 10 which has depending downwardly therefrom .a hollow annular skirt portion 115, the annular portion 10 and the annular skirt portion 115 being concentrically disposed aboutthe axis of rotation of the rotor assembly. The rotor assembly is further provided with an upper annular portion 103 concentricallyedisposed about the axis of rotation and connected to surface 106 of the central portion of the rotor assembly by a plurality of relatively thin radially extending wall elements, one of which is shown at 105 in FIGURE 3. It will be seen in FIGURE 3 that the surface106 of the rotor assembly central portion and surface 108 of the upper annular portion 103 form, between each of the radial wall elements 105, a passagewaythat leads downwardly from the upper side of the rotor assembly sub-' stantially parallel to the axis of rotor assembly rotation and then proceeds gradually to a radially outward direction. A'vane element 107 secured to radialwall element 105 by machine screws 110 divides this passageway into two parts as shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be seen that at one circumferential position during rotation of the rotorassembly, the upper end of each portion of the passageway defined by surfaces 106, 108, and radial wall element105 will become aligned and in communication with theinlet conduit 12 in the upper horizontal wall portion of housing 11. At this one ciring cam roller 201' which is maintained in engagement with cam groove 9 in annular cam members 8 and 81. It will be clear that rotation of the rotor assembly will cause the cam 9 to vertically reciprocate the carrier block assemblies and the lower cutting elements mounted thereon. Each of the V-shaped lower cutter elements is rigidly supported on a lower cutter base element 213 which is provided with a dove-tailed bottom portion which corresponds to the dove-tail cross-section of a cavity 230 in the upper side of each cutter-carrying block 208 and is rigidly'locked therein between sets of spaced positioning pins 211. One side of cavity 230 in'each block 203 is formed by a detachable plate 209 to permit removal and adjustment of the positions of the lower cutter base elements 213. Plates 209 are .removably secured in place by machine screws210. Each lower cutter base element 213 is provided with a thin elongated'vertically disposed guide finger 241 mounted thereon by screws 243 as seen in FIGURE 3. Each of thelower, cutter elements is upper cutting elements 305 and is actuated by the cam 9 1 and camrollers 201 during rotation of the rotor assembly cumferential position the radially outwardly'directe'd end of this same portion of the passageway will be aligned and in communication with oulet conduit 13in the house ing 11.

between a lower inoperative position and upper positions in which the cutting elements arein operative clamping and cuttingengagement.

A vertical support element 17 is rigidly secured to member 2 of the supporting frame structure. At the upper end of support element 17 is a pivotable bracket 16 mounted for movement in a substantially horizontal plane. Bracket 16 carries an elongated curved guide tube 15 having a flared tow inlet portion and an outlet end for guiding an incoming tow through the housing 11 and into operative association with the cutting elements of the rotor assembly at a position indicated generally at G in FIG- URESZ and 3.

Referring toFIGURE 2, the configuration of cam.

groove 9 is such that upon rotation of the rotor assembly in the direction shown by the arrow, the lower cutter elements are in their lowermost position with respect to the upper cutting elements during the portion of the circular path marked (OPEN) and (DWELL), and upon entering the portionof the path marked (CLAMP) at G Referring again to the construction of the;r9tor assembly as seen in FIGURES it will be seen that an annular ring element 101 is secured by bolts 102 to upper annular portion 103 of the rotor assembly in a substantially horizontal manner concentrically disposed about the axis of A plurality of upper cutting elements 305 having substantially straight horizontally begin to smoothly, relatively slowly progressively and in sequencevmove upward to first confine and clamp a tow guided into engagement therewith by guide 15 and then cut thetow in a similar slow progressive manner until arrival at the beginning of the circular path portion marked (OPEN) the tow has been cut into staple fibers at a plurality .of circumferentially spaced points along the path. During the portion of the circular path indicated at (OPEN) and (DWELL) in FIGURE 2 the cut staple fibers are collected and conveyed away from the machine through conduit 13 by a high speed stream of air which iswsupplied via conduit 12, by means not shown, and

moves through the previously described passageway in the rotor assembly as shown in detail in FIGURE 3. The

. engagement of the tow by the cutting elements during the initial clamping action providesthe pull or force to supply tow into the machine. The speed of rotation of the rotor assembly 'is relatively high with respect to the speed of vertical movement of the lower cutting elements engaghaving upwardly facing V-shaped cutting edges are' mounted on lower annular portion 10 of the rotor assembly. The lower cutting elements 214 are mounted in groups on a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertically reciprocable carrier block assemblies. Each of these assemblies comprises an upper cutter' carrying block 208 and a lower block 203. Each upper block 208 is rigidly connected to the lower block 203 by two parallel drive rod elements 20.

Drive rod elements 20 are each slidably mounted in bearing elements 116 positioned in hollow annular skirt portion .115 which depends downwardly from lower annuing the tow. a

Each set of cutting elements, one upper and, one lower, are in effect a unit which acts atone stage as a tow clamping'unit to engage and feed tow into the machine and at a later stage as a tow cutting unit to convert the tow into staple fibers. The clamping action is accomplished by the early co'nfiningengagement between the cutting elements themselves. Because of the configuration of the cutting elements the 'tow is engaged around its entire periphery during clamping and cutting for maximum control and. precision.

In FIGURE 7 it will be seen that upon'relative movegreases ment of the cutting elements toward each other that the upper cutting elements 305 will be urged resiliently laterally into cutting and self sharpening engagement with the somewhat beveled cutting edge of the lower cutting elements 214, by the spring elements 304. The limited pivotal motions which the upper cutting elements may make about their shafts 302 permits the upper cutting ele ments to maintain good cutting alignment with the lower elements which are fixed with respect to such pivotal movement.

Guide fingers 241 maintain the incoming tow in alignment between the cutting elements of each set during the time when the elements have not moved into engagement with each other.

It is believed to be clear that any of the lower cutting elements can be removed by merely removing the plate 209 and lifting out the cutting element. The spacing between lower cutting elements can be varied in this manner and by moving the lower cutting elements to new positions between the pins 211. The apparatus can thus produce cut staple fibers of one predetermined length or can simultaneously produce a mixture of staple fibers of several predetermined lengths. FIGURE 8 shows an auxiliary guide finger 242 which may be substituted for a removed lower cutting element in order to maintain proper positioning of the incoming tow.

From the foregoing discussion it is believed that the construction and operation of the improved dry staple cutting apparatus is clear. It is believed also to be clear the manner in which this apparatus makes possible its U high staple fiber production rates with a plurality of substantially concurrent cutting actions which individually proceed at a rate suhiciently slow to avoid build-up of heat and fusing of the fibers. In addition, the wear on the cutting blades is greatly reduced due to the slow cutting action.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed in detail many changes and modifications within the spirit of the invention will occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and changes are considered to fall within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An improved high production rate staple cutter apparatus for cutting a dry tow of continuous filaments into dry staple fibers, said apparatus comprising in combination; a supporting frame structure, a plurality of movable units rotatably mounted in said frame structure for clamping and cutting a tow, each of said units comprising a set of cutter elements in alignment and in opposed relationship with one another, one of said cutter elements in each of said units being mounted for relative movement along a given direction axial to the general direction of rotation of said units, between an inoperative first position in which said cutter elements are spaced apart, an operative second position in which said cutter elements are in operative tow clamping engagement, and an operative third position in which said cutter elements are in tow cutting engagement, a drive means cooperating with said frame structure and said units to move said units along a given path of rotary motion through the three positions of said one cutter element in each of said units, a guide means mounted on said frame structure for receiving and guid ing a tow into operative engagement with said units at said first position, an actuating means comprising a cam member for each of said cutter elements movable through said three positions and mounted in said frame structure to slowly and evenly actuate said axially movable cutter elements through their three positions to progressively clamp and then cut the tow concurrently at a plurality of spaced positions along the tow as the units rotate, and a dry fiuid flow means mounted on the frame structure and cooperating with said units near said cutting position for collecting and conveying cut staple fibers away from the cutting position.

2. The improved apparatus of claim 1 in which said first and second cutter elements are provided with a configuration such that in the second and third relative positions said cutter elements together surround the tow and act thereon around substantially the entire tow periphery.

3. The improved apparatus of claim 2 in which at least one of said cutter elements of each set comprises two intersecting cutting edge portions generally intersecting to form a substantially angular opening between the edges, said opening aligned and in opposed relationship to the other of said cutter elements of the set.

4. The improved apparatus of claim 3 in which said intersecting cutting edge portions of said one cutter element engage said other cutter element at two spaced points when said cutter elements are in the second and third relative positions, the extent of the angular opening between said cutting edge portions of said one cutter element and the angles formed between said cutting edge portions and said other cutter element at said spaced points so determined that, as said cutter elements are moved together and actuated, the tow engaged between said cutter elements is cut at said spaced points at a controlled rate.

5. The improved apparatus of claim 4 in which said cutting edge portions of said one cutter element are substantially linear and the angular opening defined between them is about 85.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,326,460 12/19 Lorenz 83-694 2,022,198 11/35 Hartley 83-158 2,640,539 6/53 Piper 83-328 2,642,135 6/53 Regalia 83-913 2,745,490 5/56 Steiger et al. 83-913 2,745,491 5/56 Sonneborn et a1 83-98 2,791,274 5/57 Rivers 83-913 3,011,257 12/61 Bamberger 83-98 3,049,988 8/62 Linndemann et al. 83-636 3,069,952 12/ 62 Roksvaag 83-310 FOREIGN PATENTS 612,760 11/48 Great Britain.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN IMPROVED HIGH PRODUCTION RATE STAPLE CUTTER APPARATUS FOR CUTTING A DRY TOW OF CONTINUOUS FILAMENTS INTO DRY STAPLE FIBERS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION; A SUPPORTING FRAME STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF MOVABLE UNITS ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME STRUCTURE FOR CLAMPING AND CUTTING A TOW, EACH OF SAID UNITS COMPRISING A SET OF CUTTER ELEMENTS IN ALIGNMENT AND IN OPPOSED RELATIONSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, ONE OF SAID CUTTER ELEMENTS IN EACH OF SAID UNITS BEING MOUNTED FOR RELATIVE MOVEMENT ALONG A GIVEN DIRECTION AXIAL TO THE GENERAL DIRECTION OF ROTATION OF SAID UNITS, BETWEEN AN INOPERATIVE FIRST POSITION IN WHICH SAID CUTTER ELEMENTS ARE SPACED APART, AN OPERATIVE SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID CUTTER ELEMENTS ARE IN OPERATIVE TOW CLAMPING ENGAGEMENT, AND AN OPERATIVE THIRD POSITION IN WHICH SAID CUTTER ELEMENTS ARE IN TOW CUTTING ENGAGEMENT, A DRIVE MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID FRAME STRUCTURE AND SAID UNITS TO MOVE SAID UNITS ALONG A GIVEN PATH OF ROTARY MOTION THROUGH THE THREE POSITIONS OF SAID ONE CUTTER ELEMENT IN EACH OF SAID UNITS, A GUIDE MENAS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME STRUCTURE FOR RECEIVING AND GUIDING A TOW INTO OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID UNITS AT SAID FIRST POSITION, AN ACTUATING MEANS COMPRISING A CAM MEMBER FOR EACH OF SAID CUTTER ELEMENTS MOVABLE THROUGH SAID THREE POSITIONS AND MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME STRUCTURE TO SLOWLY AND EVENLY ACTUATE SAID AXIALLY MOVABLE CUTTER ELEMENTS THROUGH THEIR THREE POSITIONS TO PROGRESSIVELY CLAMP AND THEN CUT THE TOW CONCURRENTLY AT A PLURALITY OF SPACED POSITIONS ALONG THE TOW AS THE UNITS ROTATE, AND A DRY FLUID FLOW MEANS MOUNTED ON THE FRAME STRUCTURE AND COOPERATING WITH SAID UNITS NEAR SAID CUTTING POSITION FOR COLLECTING AND CONVEYING CUT STAPLE FIBERS AWAY FROM THE CUTTING POSITION. 